The Library of Spanking Fiction: Wellred Weekly


Wellred Weekly
Volume 2, Number 1 : March 21, 2013
 
Articles
Items of interest regarding all things spanking

A Personal Review of the Spank-O-Matic II
by Lewsseau

Spanking has fascinated me since I was a small boy. Over the past several years my partner has spanked me many times, most often with a Jokari paddle. This became more difficult for her after she sustained a shoulder injury. In an effort to find new ways to share our interest, I began to research spanking machines (see the article by Februs in Wellred Weekly Vol.1, No.5). About a year ago an Internet search led me to find and purchase the Spank-O-Matic II (SOM II).

The SOM II is powered by compressed air, similar to air guns that are used to drive nails. The heart of the device is the "head unit," which has a hinged arm to which an air cylinder is attached. Using a solenoid valve controlled by a microcomputer, measured bursts of air propel the arm forward rapidly. Because the amount and pressure of air released can be adjusted, the resultant strokes may vary from feather light to forceful enough to make me gasp and to leave bruises with fewer than a dozen swats.

The power is regulated by a hand control that is both simple and flexible. The force of a stroke is changed with the twist of a dial. Either manual control (triggered by pushing a button) or automatic modes can be used. When set on automatic the frequency of strokes is determined using another dial. A variety of different options are programmed into the device, including random power, random speed, short bursts of variable length, increasing/decreasing force, etc. It's possible to dial in a mode, flick the "on" switch, then stand back and let the machine do its work.

For even more control, a computer program is available which allows fine-tuning of the SOM II. Precise maximum/minimum power and time intervals can be set, and there's a delay function allowing the user time to turn on the program then get into position for the spanking. This computer option is perfect for solo play.


The Spank-O-Matic II (standard and lite versions)

A variety of implements can be purchased and attached to the hinged arm of the head unit, all about thirty inches long. Over time I bought four of them. My personal preference is for a stinging sensation, with just enough heavy power to leave a deeper ache for a few days after a session. Here's a list of the items I purchased, from least to most sting:

1. Wooden (oak) ruler paddle, 1 5/8 inches wide and ¾ inches thick. Mostly thud – this one hasn't come out of my closet for the past several months.

2. Standard Lexan paddle, 3/8 inches thick. This is the implement that comes with the SOM II. It's a good all around choice, balancing sting and thud. Of the four I own, it's the one best suited for light strokes and more sensuous play. I once managed to reach subspace using it in this fashion.

3. Staged Lexan paddle, consisting of three ¼ inch thick sections of varying length which can be stacked together in various combinations to bring about differing sensations. Although lighter than the oak and standard Lexan paddles, I was surprised to find that its greater flexibility means it's the most likely to cause surface bruising. It's mostly sting, and my favorite.

4. Cane set – pure sting, even through clothing. The cane mount consists of two wooden blocks attached to the head unit by bolts, as are all the implements. The blocks have grooves in which a cane is firmly held. The set comes with three fiberglass canes of varying thickness. They were too rigid for me, so I substituted a 7/16 inch diameter rattan cane from Cane-iac, which works well.

It would be relatively easy to fashion other home-made implements to attach in the same manner as the ones supplied with the SOM II. I haven't felt the need to do so yet.

The head unit is mounted to a wide-based stand made out of heavy duty metal. The attachment can be moved up and down the stand's length. It can also be angled in any direction, allowing horizontal play (bent over standing,) vertical (lying prone on the floor or a bed,) or any other desired orientation. Although it's stable, high powered strokes can cause it to move along the floor, even when placed on a rubber surface for more traction. This means the placement of strokes can also move, which can be frustrating. Although my attempt to hold it in place by putting free weights behind the base of the stand were generally successful, I eventually purchased the SOM II bench. This is made out of Bosch aluminum extrusion material, lightweight and very strong, and has an integrated spanker mount to which the head unit is secured. This has been quite satisfactory. For those interested in being restrained, attachment points are supplied which can be placed pretty much anywhere on the bench.

There's one more accessory I bought, the Automater, a brilliant addition to an already well-engineered apparatus. It's a device that is placed between the stand (or spanker mount) and the head unit. Using a linear actuator, it can move the striking point of the paddle over a distance of up to four inches. That means instead of always hitting the same location, the paddle swats land at different places, allowing for a more realistic (and prolonged) experience. Just as with the hand control there are dials that set both the distance the paddle moves between strokes and the total distance covered.


End Effector and Hand Control Unit

The Spankomatic II is made by a gentleman named Paul, who is readily available by email. He is clearly a craftsman and could be considered a mechanical engineer, as is evident both by the design and construction of the SOM II and by the language he uses. (Paddles and canes are referred to as "End Effectors" on his web site.) When I had questions early on in my use of the machine he was quickly responsive and always courteous. When a problem arose with my device several months after purchase, he repaired (and even upgraded!) it at no additional charge to me except the cost of shipping the malfunctioning items back to him. If all customer service was this good, the world would be a better place.

The SOM II isn't perfect. Although set-up is easy, final adjustment can be a bit exacting. Given the length of the paddles, a difference of a few millimeters in the angle of the head unit attachment can make a difference of inches at the business end. Even though the head unit is attached using industrial strength fasteners, repeated vibrations from forceful strokes can occasionally cause it to slip. To fix this I bought some extra gussets from a local distributor to anchor it more firmly to the spanker mount. Unopposed firing of the head unit (unopposed by buttocks, for example) can damage the device, which means that flexible implements like straps or thin switches can't be used with it. The air compressor can be noisy, although only when it's pressurizing the air chamber, and even then it's not much louder than paddle whacks on a bare bottom.

The biggest barrier to purchasing an SOM II is likely to be the price. The set-up I describe above – head unit with stand, air compressor, four implements, computer control system, Automater, and bench – is pretty expensive, but this is a case where you get what you pay for. This is a one of a kind product that is ingeniously designed, sturdily built, powerful, and flexible in how it can be used. For those who want to try a lower cost version, a lighter model with fewer options is available.

I wasn't really looking for a spanking machine; I was looking for a way to allow my partner and me to continue to play together safely. The SOM II does that. The hand device and Automater give her enough control over how hard, how fast, and where to strike that it's almost as if she's wielding the paddle directly, and pushing a button doesn't hurt her shoulder. When she turns on one of the Automatic modes, it allows her to spank me while at the same time freeing up both of her hands for other purposes, a capability we 've never had before. For me, the best part of owning the Spankomatic II is the value it brings to our relationship.




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